Shoe Shopping
by Josee-ann
Summary: Because everyone needs shoes. Even to use them as a vice to ask out your new girlfriend. Just remember to take the label off:D Chaylor Oneshot


**Author's Note: Would you believe me if I said I'd been kidnapped by aliens over that last eight months which would explain why I haven't uploaded ANYTHING in that time?**

**Nah, of course you wouldn't.**

**I'm just busy... really. There's no other excuse for it. I deleted a few of my stories that weren't kicking off like Switched and Mean Girls. I still hope to update East High Story eventually. But right now I've got a oneshot for you. And another oneshot that I've had in my head for months and may finally write. Baby steps, mind. I just REALLY want to get back into writing something that isn't university essays (which SUCK by the way). **

**So here's something a little different. Well no, its not that different. Well you'll see what I mean. I think...**

* * *

Shoe-Shopping

"Urgh, remind me why I work in Hot Heels?" Taylor twirled her spoon in her vegetable soup solemnly.

"Because you love shoes. And it's a crap job that pays you money. And you like money." Gabriella replied promptly before taking a bite from her rosy red apple.

It was a boring Wednesday lunchtime where the two girls were eating their home-brought meals in the cafeteria, surrounded by people of various cliques. It wasn't until a group of particularly giggly cheerleaders walked past gushing about shopping that turned Taylor's sudden mood.

Despite both Taylor and Gabriella being quite intelligent and articulate, they both shared a very common love: Shoes. Taylor had managed to claim a rather enviable job, a shop assistant in a rather chic shoe shop with a generous staff discount. However, the squealing of the passing teenagers reminded Taylor of the one thing she detested about her job: Girls.

Yes she was a girl herself, and she was very fond of Gabriella and her scholastic friends, she even admired some women who contributed to society, but girls who cared about nothing other than shopping, boys and their own reflection were the kind of girls that Taylor detested. And it was in Hot Heels where these girls got particularly excited. Taylor did get admittedly get quite giddy when purchasing a new pair of shoes, whether they were kitten heels or Mary-Jane's, ballet pumps or booties. But having to listen to those girls' inane chatter for a few hours every day after school almost made the discount and the decent pay worthless.

"Hey gorgeous" Troy appeared out of nowhere, kissed Gabriella on the cheek and sat down next to her. She giggled. If Gabriella wasn't her best friend, Taylor would have strangled her.

"Afternoon Troy" Taylor nodded to the jock.

"Hey Taylor. Do you mind if I steal Gabby a little earlier today. Chad says he needs help for some project and I'm hopeless" Troy flashed his famous grin that always made Gabriella melt. However, Taylor got slight butterflies from the mere mention of Chad's name.

"Absolutely. I'm sure the dim-witted jock needs all the help he can get"

Taylor put on her best "I-hate-anything-related-to-sports-and-their-players" bravado but Gabriella kind of gave a look that made Taylor uneasy. It was like she didn't believe her. Troy merely shrugged.

"Cool, Gabby we need to go now actually. We'll see ya later Tay." Troy got up and offered his hand to Gabriella who willingly accepted.

"Have fun, you two"

"Bye Taylor" And with a apologetic smile, they were gone, hand in hand.

Taylor sighed. Alone at lunch. How pathetic.

And who needs young love anyway? Certainly not Taylor...

Well, it depended on who that young love was....

* * *

A few hours later, Taylor had changed into her uniform which consisted of a black pleated skirt and a black V-neck jumper. And Taylor being a fan of all accessories, she paired the outfit with white, over-sized pearls, a white headband and black-and-white polka dot Mary-Jane's. Quite professional looking, Taylor thought.

She stood leanly slightly behind the glass counter, watching girls of numerous shapes and ages browsing the white shelves with Duffy's "Mercy" playing on the sound system. Some more composed than others.

She strummed her fingers on the glass, she was rather fidgety really. Her supervisor was on a break and there wasn't much to her job aside from putting sales through and answering questions.

And then it happened.

Chad Danforth waltzed into the store.

He was the elephant in the room. Everyone turned to look at him. High School girls gawped. College girls waited to see a girlfriend follow. Working women just wondered why on earth this teenage boy was in an up-market shoe store.

He gazed round the room and a quick grin appeared on his face as if he had just found what he was looking for.

"Hey Taylor" He was strolling over to the counter.

It took twice as long for Taylor to realise he was talking to her. And three times as long to remember to sound uninterested.

"Hey, are you lost?" Taylor smirked, and he laughed.

"No, no, I was actually looking for you. I need your help." Taylor tried to ignore her heart jump.

"Well unless it's related to shoes, I can't help you now. I do have a job, you know?" She internally winced at how snipey she sounded. She was meant to sound uninterested, not bitchy.

"Oh it is related to shoes!" Chad grinned as Taylor double-taked. "I want to buy a present for this girl I'm seeing"

_Dammit_

"Oh... I, I didn't realise there was anyone... you... were seeing"

"Well it's not a big thing at the moment but even I know she's pretty special" His eyes lit up as he said that last sentence.

Taylor tried to hide her disappointment the best she could, but she was pretty gutted. Even though Chad was her "illegal crush", she still hoped he would feel the same way.

Oh well. Never mind.

"So what do you need help with?"

"Well, I'm not quite sure what to buy. I'm not really in with the shoe-shopping business." Taylor giggled. Dear God...

"Well okay, what's she like? What's her style? How tall is she?"

Chad raised his eyebrows and leaned an arm on the glass counter. "Well, she's about 5'2, and really classy. I want to get her something really nice."

Taylor nodded, noting the similarity in between her height and this mystery girl "Well she's short enough to wear heels so she won't crown over you. So the possibilities are endless. What's her shoe size?"

Chad seemed to stop and look at Taylor's feet through the glass. "Actually she looks about your size. I'll go with whatever size you are"

Taylor raised one cynical eyebrow. "Don't you think you should double-check? You could be wrong."

Chad put his other arm on the counter and leaned in so close, their faces were inches apart "I doubt it."

Taylor slowly inhaled, not wanting to make her sudden shock apparent. Chad finally pulled away.

"So, where do we start?"

* * *

About half an hour later, Chad had made Taylor try on about 14 pairs of shoes "just to judge how they'd look". A couple of times, Taylor had to leave to serve customers and Chad just browsed around. And as soon as she came back....

"What about those?" Chad pointed to a particular pair on the top shelf. Taylor looked up and her heart sunk.

He was staring at a gorgeous pair of gold leather booties with a curved gradient heel and a little studded bow underneath where the ankles would be. Taylor longed for them more than any pair but they were a little pricier even with the discount. She had mentioned them to Gabriella millions of times, that she was going to wait till her next pay check. And she knew for a fact they only had one more pair left in her size. Which Chad was undoubtedly was going to buy. For his new girlfriend. _Shit_

"Oh those? Yes they're gorgeous but they are expensive. Why don't we try..."

"No, I quite like those ones. Can you try them on?"

Taylor grimaced as she took the shoes of the high shelf and moved over to the seating area while he followed. She slipped off her shoes once more and gently slid her foot into one of the booties and zipped it up. She sighed. They looked so _good._

Chad was watching too. He kept shifting glances between the shoe, and Taylor's face which seemed to be a mixture of disappointment and glee. "I think these are the one's" He finally said.

Taylor exhaled. "Yes, I agree." She took off the ankle boots before her heart could break any more. This was turning out to be a pretty bad day.

* * *

Two hours later, Taylor finally arrived home and dumped her bag by the door in a huff. Chad had bought the shoes. Taylor watched as her last chance for shoe heaven slipped away.... until they got more in stock. She groaned at the thought of the school work she still had left to do.

"Bad day?" She heard her Mom's voice from the living room.

"You wouldn't believe."

"I won't. Dinner's on the table. There's a package upstairs for you, by the way. It came about a half hour ago."

Taylor stood still confused. How on earth would be sending her a package?

She left her bag by the door and stumbled her way up the stairs into her room. And there is was. A gift-wrapped box about a foot long, half a foot wide. There was no initial label on it so being overcome with curiosity; she started ripping open the paper. She stopped when she recognised the brand on the box.

Hold on...

She ripped the rest of the paper off at break-neck speed. It was a Hot Heels shoebox. What are the odds...

She gripped the lid of the shoebox, half terrified, half shaking with anticipation, and lifted it.

There in the box, where the gold leather booties with curved gradient heel and the studded bow.

And a note. With her name on it.

Still in shock, she shakily took the note and unfolded it.

_Taylor Lucibelle McKessie,_

_I may have spun a lie or two today, but it made it a bigger surprise, didn't it? Well I hope so..._

_I wanted to be original with asking you out, I got the feeling you weren't the "ask out next your locker" kinda girl. You're too classy for that. Hence the shoes. I wanted to give you something special, something I know you love, just in case I'm not enough for you. Which I know I'm not. But I hope you'll give me the chance. And even if you do, at least you'll have classy footwear to walk all over me when I'm being an ass :] _

_I double-checked everything with Gabriella today. She told me the shoes you wanted, and I could have picked them out straight away, but I just didn't want to leave you so quickly. And you looked so adorable when trying on the boots. The same beautiful smile I want to see more often._

_By the way, I filled out a customer review of your store. Excellent customer service. Top notch :]_

_So, I hope you'll consider this bizarre attempt to capture your heart. I know you're not the easiest to please, but I can't wait to try._

_Call me sometime. Please._

_Always,_

_Chad x_

Below his name was his phone number. And another smiley face. He was obviously in a good mood.

Her heart swelled when she reread the note. To be honest she probably would have accepted him even if just asked her out next to her locker. But the shoes were a fabulous gesture.

She stared down at them, finally sinking in. The biggest grin spread across her face and she started squealing, repeatedly stamping her feet in happiness

Well there's a squealing kind of girl in all of us.

* * *

**A/N: Why?**

**Because I don't write enough Chaylors :D**

**R&R x x x**


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